CCC report on climate change risks

The recent Committee on Climate Change report, to the UK government (https://www.theccc.org.uk/tackling-climate-change/preparing-for-climate-change/uk-climate-change-risk-assessment-2017/synthesis-report/), highlights the risks and actions required that are arising due to climate change. Both Bloomberg (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-06-28/u-k-told-to-look-beyond-air-conditioning-as-heat-waves-multiply) and the Financial Times (https://www.ft.com/content/91857d8e-5bf7-11e7-9bc8-8055f264aa8b) highlight the fact that buildings continue to overheat and that large areas of glazing tend to make matters worse. Increased use of air conditioning is not the answer, the report states, as it leads to increased energy use and a rise in outside temperatures due to rejected heat.

CIBSE recently announced a new methodology to assess overheating in homes (TM59 – available as a free download), which has created a common approach that will see the whole industry consistently apply the same methodology.